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Political Corruption Index in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Political Corruption Index was 0.042 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
0.042
Change on year
down 2.3%
World rank
160th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.448
in 1789
All-time low
0.017
in 1946
Years of data
237
1789–2025

Political Corruption Index in United Kingdom, 1789–2025

00.10.20.30.4178919072025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for political corruption index in United Kingdom is 0.042, measured in 2025.

The figure is down 2.3% on the previous year and up 5.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, political corruption index in United Kingdom peaked at 0.448 in 1789 and was at its lowest, 0.017, in 1946.

That places United Kingdom 160th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Political Corruption Index in United Kingdom, year by year

Year Value Change
1789 0.448 —
1790 0.448 +0.0%
1791 0.448 +0.0%
1792 0.448 +0.0%
1793 0.448 +0.0%
1794 0.448 +0.0%
1795 0.448 +0.0%
1796 0.448 +0.0%
1797 0.448 +0.0%
1798 0.448 +0.0%
1799 0.448 +0.0%
1800 0.448 +0.0%
1801 0.448 +0.0%
1802 0.448 +0.0%
1803 0.448 +0.0%
1804 0.448 +0.0%
1805 0.448 +0.0%
1806 0.448 +0.0%
1807 0.448 +0.0%
1808 0.448 +0.0%
1809 0.448 +0.0%
1810 0.448 +0.0%
1811 0.448 +0.0%
1812 0.448 +0.0%
1813 0.448 +0.0%
1814 0.448 +0.0%
1815 0.448 +0.0%
1816 0.448 +0.0%
1817 0.448 +0.0%
1818 0.448 +0.0%
1819 0.448 +0.0%
1820 0.345 -23.0%
1821 0.345 +0.0%
1822 0.345 +0.0%
1823 0.345 +0.0%
1824 0.345 +0.0%
1825 0.345 +0.0%
1826 0.345 +0.0%
1827 0.345 +0.0%
1828 0.345 +0.0%
1829 0.345 +0.0%
1830 0.345 +0.0%
1831 0.345 +0.0%
1832 0.345 +0.0%
1833 0.245 -29.0%
1834 0.245 +0.0%
1835 0.245 +0.0%
1836 0.245 +0.0%
1837 0.245 +0.0%
1838 0.245 +0.0%
1839 0.245 +0.0%
1840 0.245 +0.0%
1841 0.245 +0.0%
1842 0.245 +0.0%
1843 0.245 +0.0%
1844 0.245 +0.0%
1845 0.245 +0.0%
1846 0.245 +0.0%
1847 0.245 +0.0%
1848 0.245 +0.0%
1849 0.245 +0.0%
1850 0.245 +0.0%
1851 0.175 -28.6%
1852 0.175 +0.0%
1853 0.175 +0.0%
1854 0.175 +0.0%
1855 0.175 +0.0%
1856 0.175 +0.0%
1857 0.175 +0.0%
1858 0.175 +0.0%
1859 0.175 +0.0%
1860 0.175 +0.0%
1861 0.175 +0.0%
1862 0.175 +0.0%
1863 0.175 +0.0%
1864 0.175 +0.0%
1865 0.175 +0.0%
1866 0.175 +0.0%
1867 0.175 +0.0%
1868 0.175 +0.0%
1869 0.079 -54.9%
1870 0.039 -50.6%
1871 0.039 +0.0%
1872 0.039 +0.0%
1873 0.039 +0.0%
1874 0.039 +0.0%
1875 0.039 +0.0%
1876 0.039 +0.0%
1877 0.039 +0.0%
1878 0.039 +0.0%
1879 0.039 +0.0%
1880 0.039 +0.0%
1881 0.039 +0.0%
1882 0.039 +0.0%
1883 0.026 -33.3%
1884 0.026 +0.0%
1885 0.026 +0.0%
1886 0.026 +0.0%
1887 0.026 +0.0%
1888 0.026 +0.0%
1889 0.026 +0.0%
1890 0.026 +0.0%
1891 0.026 +0.0%
1892 0.026 +0.0%
1893 0.026 +0.0%
1894 0.026 +0.0%
1895 0.026 +0.0%
1896 0.026 +0.0%
1897 0.026 +0.0%
1898 0.026 +0.0%
1899 0.026 +0.0%
1900 0.026 +0.0%
1901 0.026 +0.0%
1902 0.026 +0.0%
1903 0.026 +0.0%
1904 0.026 +0.0%
1905 0.026 +0.0%
1906 0.026 +0.0%
1907 0.026 +0.0%
1908 0.026 +0.0%
1909 0.026 +0.0%
1910 0.026 +0.0%
1911 0.026 +0.0%
1912 0.026 +0.0%
1913 0.026 +0.0%
1914 0.026 +0.0%
1915 0.026 +0.0%
1916 0.028 +7.7%
1917 0.026 -7.1%
1918 0.026 +0.0%
1919 0.026 +0.0%
1920 0.026 +0.0%
1921 0.026 +0.0%
1922 0.025 -3.8%
1923 0.025 +0.0%
1924 0.025 +0.0%
1925 0.025 +0.0%
1926 0.025 +0.0%
1927 0.025 +0.0%
1928 0.025 +0.0%
1929 0.025 +0.0%
1930 0.025 +0.0%
1931 0.025 +0.0%
1932 0.025 +0.0%
1933 0.025 +0.0%
1934 0.025 +0.0%
1935 0.025 +0.0%
1936 0.025 +0.0%
1937 0.025 +0.0%
1938 0.025 +0.0%
1939 0.025 +0.0%
1940 0.022 -12.0%
1941 0.022 +0.0%
1942 0.022 +0.0%
1943 0.022 +0.0%
1944 0.022 +0.0%
1945 0.022 +0.0%
1946 0.017 -22.7%
1947 0.017 +0.0%
1948 0.017 +0.0%
1949 0.017 +0.0%
1950 0.017 +0.0%
1951 0.017 +0.0%
1952 0.017 +0.0%
1953 0.017 +0.0%
1954 0.017 +0.0%
1955 0.017 +0.0%
1956 0.017 +0.0%
1957 0.017 +0.0%
1958 0.017 +0.0%
1959 0.017 +0.0%
1960 0.017 +0.0%
1961 0.017 +0.0%
1962 0.017 +0.0%
1963 0.017 +0.0%
1964 0.017 +0.0%
1965 0.017 +0.0%
1966 0.017 +0.0%
1967 0.017 +0.0%
1968 0.017 +0.0%
1969 0.017 +0.0%
1970 0.019 +11.8%
1971 0.027 +42.1%
1972 0.027 +0.0%
1973 0.027 +0.0%
1974 0.027 +0.0%
1975 0.027 +0.0%
1976 0.027 +0.0%
1977 0.027 +0.0%
1978 0.027 +0.0%
1979 0.027 +0.0%
1980 0.03 +11.1%
1981 0.03 +0.0%
1982 0.03 +0.0%
1983 0.03 +0.0%
1984 0.03 +0.0%
1985 0.03 +0.0%
1986 0.03 +0.0%
1987 0.03 +0.0%
1988 0.03 +0.0%
1989 0.03 +0.0%
1990 0.03 +0.0%
1991 0.03 +0.0%
1992 0.03 +0.0%
1993 0.03 +0.0%
1994 0.03 +0.0%
1995 0.03 +0.0%
1996 0.03 +0.0%
1997 0.03 +0.0%
1998 0.032 +6.7%
1999 0.032 +0.0%
2000 0.032 +0.0%
2001 0.04 +25.0%
2002 0.04 +0.0%
2003 0.04 +0.0%
2004 0.04 +0.0%
2005 0.04 +0.0%
2006 0.04 +0.0%
2007 0.04 +0.0%
2008 0.04 +0.0%
2009 0.04 +0.0%
2010 0.04 +0.0%
2011 0.04 +0.0%
2012 0.04 +0.0%
2013 0.04 +0.0%
2014 0.04 +0.0%
2015 0.04 +0.0%
2016 0.04 +0.0%
2017 0.038 -5.0%
2018 0.038 +0.0%
2019 0.041 +7.9%
2020 0.042 +2.4%
2021 0.053 +26.2%
2022 0.053 +0.0%
2023 0.052 -1.9%
2024 0.043 -17.3%
2025 0.042 -2.3%

United Kingdom compared with similar countries

  • United Kingdom's 0.042 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.085, 49% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
  • United Kingdom's 0.042 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.2125, 20% of the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1780s 0.448 0.448 0.448 1
1790s 0.448 0.448 0.448 10
1800s 0.448 0.448 0.448 10
1810s 0.448 0.448 0.448 10
1820s 0.345 0.345 0.345 10
1830s 0.275 0.245 0.345 10
1840s 0.245 0.245 0.245 10
1850s 0.182 0.175 0.245 10
1860s 0.1654 0.079 0.175 10
1870s 0.039 0.039 0.039 10
1880s 0.0299 0.026 0.039 10
1890s 0.026 0.026 0.026 10
1900s 0.026 0.026 0.026 10
1910s 0.0262 0.026 0.028 10
1920s 0.0252 0.025 0.026 10
1930s 0.025 0.025 0.025 10
1940s 0.02 0.017 0.022 10
1950s 0.017 0.017 0.017 10
1960s 0.017 0.017 0.017 10
1970s 0.0262 0.019 0.027 10
1980s 0.03 0.03 0.03 10
1990s 0.0304 0.03 0.032 10
2000s 0.0392 0.032 0.04 10
2010s 0.0397 0.038 0.041 10
2020s 0.0475 0.042 0.053 6

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 157 Uruguay 0.055 compare
  2. 158 Seychelles 0.054 compare
  3. 159 Japan 0.05 compare
  4. 161 Ireland 0.032 compare
  5. 162 Belgium 0.031 compare
  6. 162 Finland 0.031 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is political corruption index in United Kingdom?
Political corruption index in United Kingdom was 0.042 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest political corruption index recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 0.448 in 1789.
What is the lowest political corruption index recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 0.017 in 1946.
How does United Kingdom rank for political corruption index?
United Kingdom ranks 160th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is political corruption index rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is up 5.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Political Corruption Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Political Corruption Index in United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 07 November 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/political-corruption-index/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Political Corruption Index
Source
V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
176 places, 25,295 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed

Central estimate of the extent to which a country is affected by political corruption.